Dishwashers

More Dishwashers Glossary Articles

Dishwasher Features

Dishwasher tines are the prongs that stick up on your dishwasher racks to hold your dishware in place. Fold-down tines are exactly what they sound like: the prongs can fold down flat to allow for more space. Depending on what you're washing, you may leave them up to hold smaller dishes and glassware, or fold them down to wash large pots and platters. If you have oddly shaped dishes that are difficult to find space for in your dishwasher, fold-down tines can help you accommodate all of your cookware and dishware.

The delayed start option on your dishwasher is a cycle that will allow you to run your machine at the time of your choice. This allows you to run it when you aren't home, or after everyone's in bed for the night. A noisy dishwasher can be a distraction, particularly if your kitchen is located anywhere near rooms where you spend a lot of time. If you've grown tired of hearing your dishwasher's background noise, consider investing in a dishwasher with a delayed start option.

The Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) is a nonprofit group that works with manufacturers to build appliances that reduce energy consumption. Like the ENERGY STAR® rating, a CEE rating indicates that your appliance is eco-friendly and energy efficient. There are three tiers for CEE ratings, ranging from I to III, and a higher tier equates a higher level of energy efficiency. The CEE rating is not a supplement for the ENERGY STAR® label. It uses the ENERGY STAR® rating coupled with the Modified Energy Factor (MEF) and Water Factor (WF) to assess energy efficiency.